The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-06-08
FACTS ABOUT THE GAS FIELD.

FACTS ABOUT THE GAS FIELD
Observations of state Geoiogist Thompson
Regarding Geological Indications of Gas.
Professor Orton the able and efficient State
Biologist of Ohio, in reported, by the Peru Re-
publican as having said that no disturbance OF
the paleozoic strata exists along the Wabash
river as sketched by Professor Gorbey in the
last State Geological report. One Of the facts
upon which Professor Ortons opinion was based
was that Trenton limestone had. according to
The Professor, been found at less than six hun
dred feet below the surface at Elkhart far north
of the river. A few days ago l re-
ceived letter from Professor Orion
frankly admitting that he was wrong in his
Judgment of the Elkbart we'll. This. however.
was after my assistant, Professor Gorbey had
been to Elkhart and Goshen, and settled the
fact that Tren ton limestone must be fifteen hun
dred, perhaps considerably more than fifteen
hundred feet under ground there. 1 do not men
ton this to point out the error of Professor Or
TOMS Judgment, which, no doubt. came of q too
hasty examination; but to call the attention of
those interested IN Indiana geology to
some further developments of my survey
of The line of the Wabash river and
of the western part of the Wabash Arch" or
Wabash disturbance"
A little south Of kentland in Newton county.
there is truncRted fold of the Upper Sllurian
strata Its shape is that of a cone whose
apex has been cut off. the area exposed
being hundred or more acres, the rock
standing almost vertically in the center and
sloping towards all points of the compass around
the outer circumference. It Is not q false bed
ding" in any sense of the word; but on the con-
trary, the rocks, which are of the water-lime and
Niagara groups show every feature of disturbance.
This Kentand is surrounded by strata of
the superior formations deposited nonconforma-
hofn hrrF Fnv yntlAa (rnt RI axR aah
threel to VIII ere the Sub-carboniferous rocks lie
level and undisturbed At Delphi, which is on
the Wabash river, another unmistakaole arch is
exposed in the outcrop of the Niagara rocks.
There the Devonian shales and Corniferous
limestone lie undisturbed, overly disposed
around and -conformably to the Niagara
limestone. This arch is as plainly marked as il
of masonry, and it's breadth of span is
accurately proportional to the thickness of the
rocks $ shown by the drill in the Delphi WELL
Mr.. w. Fl. Thompson. who has made for me a
thorough reorganization Of the formation, re-
ports that the drill. passing through the
Niagara limestone in the well above mentioned
cut the strafcations at angle Of about forty de-
grees. wherefore the formation showed much
thicker than it really is.
1t appears that many biologists have taken it
for granted that Professor Gorbey has described
. perfect and continuous arch across Indiana
This is so. The fold. far yet de-
hned, is just like any other mou ntain
chain, a series of anticIines and synclines-e
broken, cracked. twisted. distorted condition of
The strata extending across the State in a zig.
which the Wabash river runs for much of the
way between Huntington and Lafayette.
Before any boring had been done on the banks
OF the river between these points, ventured to
express the belief that no gas would be dlscov-
cred any point the river where the dis
turbance was of marked nature, for the
turbance had allowed the gas to escape.
So far. my prediction holds good TO a degree be-
yond the limit of expectation, for. while gas Is
found ut Fort Wayne hand, and some
ten miles south of the river the other hand,
the wells at Peru. Delphi Logansport, Wabash,
Huntington and Button have been failures.
Another prediction, based on facts noted in
connection with the disturbance" was that
north of the Wabash river should expect to find
the strata all dipping northwardly to pass under
the Michigan basin. The driliings since
made prove this forecast TO have been
correct. II the gas found at Fort Wayne
prove to be unaccompanied by salt water, the
theory advanced by Professor Orton that deep
gas must soon succumb to salt water will have
TO be abandoned. If Trenton limestone is not
continuously porous-and it certainly is not-we
must admit that salt water cannot always be the
next thing below the gas. The simpler explana-
ton of the whole matter is that wherever salt
water and gas occupy the same porous stratum
the water will be below the gas. and, il the gas
has escaped, the water will still be there. So if
oil and water together in porous
rock, the oil will be above the water
The theory that gas is not to be
found in paying quantities more than five hun
dred feet below sea-level is to be taken as of To-
cal and not general application. In the main
the top of the Trenton anticlinals was not far
from sea level, therefore. where a well reached
Trenton limestone greatly below sea-level
IL would probably be in a trough or synclinal
which would be found full of oil or salt water,
because these heavier bodies sought the lowest
point in the porous rock. But if an area of
Trenton limestone, porous and surrounded by
impervious area, should be cut by the drill,
no matter how deep below sea-level, it
might be found full Of gas for in that case. il
gas had been generated in the rock, it
would. of necessity, still be there. The phrase
sea lsver must be taken as OF limited and local
application at present, though it may
of instances everywhere. The reason it holds |
good in general throughout Indiana and north |
ern Ohio is to be found in the fact that the |
Trenton limestone happens to lie, when undis- |
turbed, considerably below sea level, and when
disturbed little below. at or somewhat above
sea level. Therefore, when the disturbance has
will be found in the DOME. but II
the roof is cracked and broken the gas will all |
be gone. The domes at Kentland and Delphi |
probably would have been full of gas had they |
remained unbroken. Still the anticlinal theory |
does not preclude the possibility of gas being |
found even in synclinals under special circum-
stances, nor does the ''sea-lever theory, as 1 |
take it. exclude the possibility the prob
ability OF gas being found at any depth under
ground. provided there is proper reservoir in
the structure of the Trenton limestone. In
other words If a dome or anticlinal crest of
Trenton limestone should be found a thousand
feet below sea-level, see reason
why, If porous it should not be full of gas This
is the only hope for any successful wells north
of the Wabash arch. If anywhere along the
north ward slope the Trenton limestone be found
sharply folded. there gas may be accumulated
IN paying quantities, but the area is deeply
covered with drift the drill must disclose the
facts. MAURICE THOMPSON.
Gas Well on the South Side.
The Indianapolis Gas and Oil-well Drilling
Company has already secured contracts for sink
ing two wells one ear the hominv mills on Mad